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33  WEST  MAIN  STRUT 

WBBSTER.N  Y    14580 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historlques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/i^otes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The 
to  th 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming   Features  of  th'S 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilma  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  iui  a  ete  possible  de  se  procure".  Les  details 
de  cat  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-^tre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 


The 
posa 
of  tti 
film! 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  coulaur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagea 

□    Cov 
Cou 


n 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
verture  restaur^e  et/ou  pellicul^e 


r~~l    Cover  title  missing/ 
I I    Le  litre  de  couvertur 


rture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

□    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planch 


D 


:hes  et/ou  illustrations  »n  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relie  avac  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serree  peut  causer  da  I'ombre  ou  (^e  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  sa  paut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutAes 
icfs  ci  una  rastauratron  apparaissant  dans  le  texte, 
main,  lorsque  cela  atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pat  'ke  filmiea. 

• 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentairaa  suppltimentaires 


□ 


n 

n 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagees 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurees  et/ou  pelliculees 

Pages  discoloured.  Liained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcoloreea,  tachet^es  ou  piquees 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  detachees 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  in^gale  de  {'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  material  supplAmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc  ,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Las  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata.  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  iti  fllm^as  A  nouveau  de  facon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible 


Orig 
begi 
the  I 
sion 
othe 
firet 
sion. 
or  III 


The 
shall 
TiNl 
whl( 

Map 
difffl 
entii 
begi 
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requ 
metl 


Thib  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ca  document  est  filma  au  taux  da  reduction  indiqui  c^dassous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26  X 


30X 


J 

J 

1 
1 

12X 


16X 


20X 


.•4X 


28  X 


32  X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

University  of  British  Columbia  Library 


L'exemplaire  filtTi6  fut  reproduit  grfice  A  la 
g4n6rositA  de: 

University  of  British  Columbia  Library 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6.  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Las  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim^e  sont  film6s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film^s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END  "), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diftirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA,  il  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mithode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

p 
N 


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■^  f-rv 


^  €>'* 


-5  /-    /,<•  -i-^P 


MESSAGE 


FROM  THE 

PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

TO 

TiOTn  HOUSES  OF  COJSTGRESS 

AT  THE 

<:OMMENCEMENT  OF  THE    FIRST  SESSION 

OF  THE 

TWELFTH  CONGRESS. 


If 


NOVEMBER  5,  1811. 

Read,  and  the  documents  accompanying  in  part  read. 


NOVEMBER  6,  1811. 

riic  reading  of  the  documents  completed  and  referred  to  h 
committee  of  the  whole  House  un  the  state  of  the  union. 


WASHINGTON: 

./.   13*   G.    lyjYf   VJUNtERS. 


•1811. 


* '  -^ 


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t  ^ .' 


'^^ 


'%  11 


% 


MESSAGE. 


Fellow  citizens  of  the  Senate 

and  of  the  House  of  Representatives ^ 

In  calling  you  together  sooner  than  a  separa- 
tion from  your  homes  would  otherwise  have 
been  required,  I  yielded  to  considerations  drawn 
from  the  posture  of  our  foreign  affairs ;  and  in 
fixing  the  present  for  the  time  of  your  meeting, 
regard  was  had  to  the  probability  of  further  deve- 
lopemcnts  of  the  policy  of  the  belligerent  powers 
towards  this  country,  which  might  the  more  unite 
the  iiational  councils,  in  ihc  measures  to  be  pur- 
sued. 

At  the  close  of  the  last  session  of  Congress, 
it  was  hoped  that  the  successive  confirmations  of 
the  extinction  of  the  French  decrees,  so  far  as 
they  violated  our  neutral  commerce,  would  have 
induced  the  government  of  Great  Britain  to  re- 
peal its  orders  in  council,  and  thereby  authorize  a 
reuKival  of  the  existing  obstruction.s  to  her  com- 
merce with  the  United  Slates. 


r 


instead  of  this  reasonable  step  towards  satis- 
faction  and  friendship  between  the  two  nations, 
the  orders  were,  at  a  moment  when  least  to  have 
been  expected,  put  into  more  rigorous  execution ; 
and  it  was  communicated  through  the  British  en- 
voy  just  arrived,  that  whilst  the  revocation  of  the 
edicts  of  France,  as  officially  made  known  to  the 
British  government,  was  denied  to  have  taken 
place ;  it  was  an  indispensable  condition  of  the 
repeal  of  the  British  orders,  that  commerce  should 
be  restored  to  a  footing  that  would  admit  the 
productions  and  manufactures  of  Great  Britain, 
when  owned  by  neutrals,  into  markets  shut  against 
them  by  her  enemy ;  the  United  States  being 
given  to  understand  that,  in  the  mean  time,  a 
continuance  of  their  noti- importation  act  would 
lead  to  measures  of  retaliation. 

At  a  later  date,  it  has  indeed  appeared, 
that  a  communication  lo  the  British  government, 
of  fresh  evidence  of  the  repeal  of  the  French  de- 
crees Dgainst  our  neutral  trade,  was  followed  by 
an  intimation,  that  it  had  been  transmitted  to  the 
British  plenipotentiary  here  ;  in  order  that  it  might 
receive  full  consideration,  in  the  depending  dis- 
cussions. This  communication  appears  not  tc 
have  been  received  :  But  the  transmission  of  it 
hither,  instead  of  founding  on  it  an  actual  repeal 
of  the  orders,  or  assurances  that  the  repeal  would 
ensue,  will  not  permit  us  to  rely  on  any  effective 


change  in  the  British  cabinet.  To  be  ready  to 
meet  with  cordiahty  satisfactory  proofs  of  such  a 
change,  and  to  proceed,  in  tlie  mean  time,  in 
adapting  our  measures  to  the  views  which  have 
been  disclosed  throiijrh  that  minister,  will  best 
consult  our  whole  duty. 

In  the  unfriendly  spirit  of  those  disclosures, 
indemnity  and  redress  for  other  wrongs  have  con 
tinned  to  be  withheld ;  and  our  coasts  and  the 
mouths  of  our  harbors  have  again  witnessed 
scenes,  not  less  derogatory  to  the  dearest  of  our 
national  rights,  than  vexatious  to  the  regular  course 
of  our  trade. 

Among  the  occurrences  produced  by  the  con- 
duct of  British  ships  of  war  hovering  on  our 
coasts,  was  an  encounter  between  one  of  them 
and  the  American  frigate  commanded  by  captain 
Bodgers,  rendered  unavoidable  on  the  part  of 
the  latter,  by  a  fire,  commenced  without  cause, 
by  the  former ;  whose  commander  is,  therefore, 
alone  chargeable  with  the  blood  unfortunately 
shed  in  maintaining  the  honor  of  the  An  rican 
flag.  The  proceedings  of  a  court  of  entj  liry 
requested  by  captain  Bodgcrs,  are  communica- 
ted ;  together  with  the  correspondence  relating 
to  the  occurrence,  between  the  secretary  of  state 
and  his  Britannic  majesty's  envoy.  To  these 
are  added,  the  scver.il  correspondences  which 
have  passed  on  the  subject  of  the  British  orders 


in  council;  and  to  both,  the  correspondence  re* 
!aii'.<4  10  the  lioulas,  in  which  Coni^rcas  will  be 
m.icic  acqtiiiimed.  with  the  interposition  which 
the  };ov\ri)mcnt  of  Great  Britain  has  thought 
proper  lo  make  againtjt  ihe  proceedings  of  the 
Uuiied  S'ui  ( s. 

'1  iie  justice  and  fairness  which  have  been 
evinced  on  'he  j)an  of  the  United  States  towards 
Franci',  both  before  aiid  since  the  revocation  of 
her  decrees,  auihoiiv:<d  an  expectation  that  her 
government  would  have  followed  up  that  measure 
by  all  -uch  others  as  were  due  to  uur  reasonable 
claims,  iis  "veil  as  dictated  by  its  amicable  pro- 
fessions. No  [)rooi,  however,  is  yet  given  of  an 
intrntion  to  rep-n  the  other  wrongs  done  to  the 
United  States;  and  particularly  to  restore  the 
great  amount  ol  American  property  seized  and 
conflennied  under  edicts,  which,  though  not 
afitcting  our  neutral  relations,  and,  therefore,  not 
entering  into  questions  between  th  United  States 
and  oUicr  bellit^crems,  were  nevertheless  founded 
in  sueh  unjust  principles,  that  the  reparation 
ougiit  to  have   been  prompt  and  ample. 

Ir^  addition  to  this,  and  other  demands  of 
strict  right,  on  tl-at  nation,  ihe  United  States 
have  mueh  reason  to  be  dissatisfied  with  the  rigor- 
ous and  uiiexpicted  resirictions,  lo  whi'h  their 
trade  with  the  French  dominions  has  been  stdi- 
jecttd;    and  which,   if  not  discontinued,  will  re- 


i 


quire  at  least  corresponding  restrictions  on   im- 
porlatioiis  from  France  into  the   (Jniud   Stales. 

On  all  those  subjects  our  minister  plenipo- 
tentiary, lately  sent  to  Pans,  has  carried  uith 
liim  the  neee^ihary  instructions  ;  the  result  oF  which 
will  be  conimunieaied  to  you,  and  by  ascertain- 
ing  the  ulterior  policy  of  the  French  government 
towards  the  United  States,  will  enable  V(ju  to 
adapt  to  it,  that  ot  the  United  Slates  towards 
France. 

Our  other  foreign  relations  remain  without 
unfavorable  changes.  With  Russia,  they  are 
on  the  best  footing  of  friendship.  The  ports  of 
Sweden  have  aftbrded  proofs  of  friendly  dispo- 
fsitions  towards  our  commerce,  in  the  ctuincils 
of  that  nation  also.  And  the  iniormation  irom 
our  special  minister  to  Denmark  shews,  that 
the  mission  had  been  attended  with  valuable 
effects  to  our  citizens,  whose  property  h;id  been 
so  extensiv<  ly  violated  and  endangered,  by  cruis- 
ers undtr  the  Danish  flag. 

Under  the  ominous  indications  which  com- 
manded attention,  it  became  a  duty,  to  exert 
the  means  comrni»ted  to  the  Executive  Depart- 
ment, in  providing  for  the  general  security. 
The  works  of  defence  on  our  m  iritimc  frontier 
have  accordingly  been  prosecuted  with  an  activity 
leaving  little  to  be  addi  d  for  the  completion  of  the 
most   important  ones;  and,  as  particularly   suited 


8 

ibr  co-operations  in  emergencies,  a  portion  of 
the  gun-boats  have,  in  particuhir  harbors,  bet-n 
ordered  into  use.  The  ships  of  war  before  in 
commission,  wiih  the  addition  of  a  frigate,  have 
been  chiefly  tinphiyed,  as  a  cruising  guard  to  the 
rights  of  our  coast.  And  such  a  disposition 
has  been  mode  of  our  land  forces,  as  was  thought 
to  promise  the  services  most  appropriate  and 
important.  In  this  disposition  is  included  a 
force  consisting  of  regulars  and  militia,  em- 
bodied in  the  Indiana  Territory,  and  marched 
towards  our  North  Western  frontier.  This 
measure  was  made  requisite  by  several  murders 
and  depredations  committed  by  Indians;  but 
more  especially  by  the  menacing  preparations 
and  aspect  of  a  combination  of  them,  on  the 
Wabash,  under  the  influence  and  direction  of 
a  flinatic  of  the  Shawanese  tribe.  With  these 
exceptions  the  Indian  tribes  retain  their  peace- 
able dispositions  towards  us,  and  their  usual 
pursuits. 

I  must  now  add  that  the  period  is  arrived, 
which  chiims  from  the  legislative  guardians  of 
the  national  rights  a  system  of  more  ample  pro- 
visions for  maintaining  them.  Nolwithstaiuling 
the  scrupulous  justice,  the  protracted  modera- 
tion, and  the  multiplied  ellbrts  on  the  part  of  the 
United  Stales,  to  substitute  for  the  accumulating 
dangers  to  ihe  peace  of  the  two  ''ijui.trie:;  all  lli. 


■Vf«ik^«k^*i^»-  ^•msm^i.jii^^ivii^-'^ 


m 


)ortion    of 
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before  in 
■afe,  have 
ird  to  the 
ispositioii 
3  thought 
ri'Jte  and 
^Iiidcd   a 
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marched 
T])is 
murders 
IS ;    but 
)arations 

on  the 
uion  of 
h  these 

peace- 
■   usual 

irrivcd, 
ians  of 
e  pro- 
an  ding 
odtra- 
of  the 


atine- 

o 


ii!!  ilu- 


mutual  advantages  of  re-established  friendship  and 
confidence  ;  we  have  seen  that  the  British  Cabi- 
net perseveres  not  only  in  withholding  a  remedy 
for  other  wrongs,  so  long  and  so  loudlv  calling 
for  it ;  but  in  the  execution,  brought  home  to  the 
threshhold  of  our  territory,  of  measures  which, 
under  existing  circumstances,  have  the  character, 
as  well  as  the  effect,  of  war  on  our  lawful  com- 
merce. 

With  this  evidence  of  hostile  inflexibility,  in 
trampling  on  rights  which  no  independent  nation 
can  relinquish ;  Congress  will  (eel  the  duty  of 
putting  the  United  States  into  an  armour  and  an 
attitude  demanded  by  the  crisis,  and  correspond- 
ing with  the  national  spirit  and  expectations. 

I  recommend,  accordingly,  that  adequate  pro- 
vision be  made  for  filling  the  ranks  and  pro- 
longing the  enlistments  of  the  regular  troops; 
for  an  auxiliary  force,  to  be  engaged  for  a  more 
limited  term ;  for  the  acceptance  of  volunteer 
corps,  whose  patriotic  ardor  may  court  a  pariici- 
pation  in  urgent  services  ;  for  detachments,  as  they 
may  be  wanted,  of  other  portions  of  die  militia; 
and  for  such  a  preparation  of  the  great  body,  as 
will  proportion  its  useluhiess  to  its  intrinsic  capa- 
cities. Nor  can  the  occasion  fail  to  remind  you 
of  the  importance  of  those  military  seminaries, 
which,  in  every  event,  will  form  a  valuable  and 
frugal  part  of  our  military  establishment. 


la 


The  manufacture  of  cannon  and  small  arms, 
has  proceeded  with  due  success,  and  the  stock 
and  resources  of  all  the  necessary  munitions  are 
adequate  to  emergencies.  It  will  not  be  inexpe- 
dient, however,  for  Congress  to  authorize  an  en- 
largement of  them. 

Your  attention  will,  of  course,  be  drawn  to 
such  provisions,  on  the  subject  of  our  naval  force, 
as  may  be  required  for  the  services  to  which  it 
may  be  best  adapted.  I  submit  to  Congress,  the 
seasonableness,  also,  of  an  authority  to  augment  the 
stock  of  such  materials,  as  are  imperishable  in  their 
nature,  or  may  not  at  once  be  attainable. 

In  contemplating  the  scenes  which  distinguish 
this  momentous  epoch,  and  estimating  their  claims 
to  our  attention,  it  is  impossible  to  overlook  those 
deveiopcing  themselves  among  the  great  commu- 
nities which  occupy  the  southern  portion  of  our 
own  hemisphere,  and  extend  into  our  neighbor- 
hood. An  enlarged  philanthropy,  and  an  enlight- 
ened forecast,  concur  in  imposing  on  the  national 
councils  an  obligation  to  take  a  deep  interest  in 
their  destinies ;  to  cherish  recijirocal  sentiments  of 
good  will ;  to  regard  the  progress  of  events,  and 
not  to  be  unprepared  for  whatever  order  of  things 
may  be  ultimately  established. 

Under  another  aspect  of  our  situation,  the  early 
attention  of  Congress  will  be  due  to  the  expe- 
diency of  further  guards  against  evasions  and  in- 


11 


fractions  of  our  commercial  laws.  The  practice 
of  smuggling,  which  is  odious  every  where,  and 
particularly  criminal  in  free  governments,  where, 
the  laws  being  made  by  all  for  the  good  of  all,  a 
fraud  is  committed  on  every  individual  as  well 
as  on  the  state,  attains  its  utmost  guilt,  when  it 
blends,  with  a  pursuit  of  ignominious  gain,  a 
treacherous  subserviency,  in  the  transgressors,  to 
a  foreign  policy,  adverse  to  that  of  their  own 
country.  It  is  then  that  the  virtuous  indignation 
of  the  public  should  be  enabled  to  manifest  itself, 
through  the  regular  animadversions  of  the  most 
competent  laws. 

To  secure  greater  re.  j>ect  to  our  mercantile 
flag,  and  to  the  honest  interest  which  it  covers  ;  it 
is  expedient  also,  that  it  be  made  punishable  in 
our  citizens,  to  accept  licences  from  foreign  go- 
vernments,  for  a  trade  unlawfully  interdicted  by 
thern  to  other  American  citizens  ;  or  to  trade  un- 
der false  colors  or  papers  of  any  sort. 

A  prohibition  is  equally  called  for,  against  the 
acceptance,  by  our  citizens,  of  special  licences, 
to  be  used  in  a  trade  with  the  United  States ;  and 
against  the  admission  into  particular  ports  of  tlic 
United  States,  of  vessels  from  foreign  countries, 
authorized  to  trade  with  particular  ports  only. 

Although  other  subjects  will  press  more  im. 
mediately  on  your  deliberations,  a  portion  of  them 
cannot   but  be  will  bestowed  on   the    just   and 


12 


sound  policy  of  securing  to  our  manufactures  the 
success  they  have  attained,  and  are  still  attaining, 
in  some  degree,  under  the  impulse  of  causes  not 
permanent ;  and  to  our  navigation,  the  fair  extent 
of  which  it  is  at  present  abridged  by  the  unequal 
regulations  of  foreign  governments. 

Besides  the  reasonableness  of  saving  our  manu- 
facturei  i  from  sacrifices  which  a  change  of  circum- 
stLinces  mighi  bring  on  them,  the  national  mter- 
est  requires,  that,  with  respect  to  such  articles  at 
least  as  belong  to  our  defence,  antl  our  primary 
vants,  we  should  not  be  left  in  unnecessary  de- 
pendence on  external  supplies.  And  whilst  for* 
cit;:n  [governments  adhere  to  the  existing  dibcrimi- 
nauons  in  their  ports  against  our  navigation,  and 
an  equality  or  lesser  discrimination  is  enjo}  ed  jjy 
the!  n  iviir,it5on  in  our  ports,  the  effect  cannot  be 
mistaken,  beca".se  it  has  been  seriously  felt  by 
our  shipping  interests;  and  in  pro|iortion  as  this 
takes  place,  the  advantages  of  an  independent  con- 
ve}  Miicc  of  our  jiroducts  to  foreign  markets,  and 
of  a  growing  body  of  marines,  trained  by  their 
ocrnpations  for  the  service  of  their  country  in 
tint' s  of  danger,  must  be  diminished. 

The  reeeipts  into  the  treasury,  (hiring  the  year 
ending  (in  the  thirtieth  of  September  last,  have 
cxct  t  {\v(\  thirteen  millions  and  a  hall"  of  dollars, 
an''  hnve  enabled  us  to  defray  the  current  ex- 
penses, including  the  interest  on  the  public  debt. 


13 


aixl  to  reimburse  more  than  five  millions  of  dol- 
lars of  the  principal,  without  recurring  to  the 
loan  authorized  by  the  act  of  the  last  session. 
The  temporary  loan  obtained  in  the  latter  end  of 
the  }ear  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  ten, 
has  also  been  reimbursed,  and  is  not  included  in 
that  amount. 

The  d(  crease  of  revenue  arising  from  the  situ- 
ation of  our  commerce,  and  the  extraordinary 
expenses  which  have  and  may  become  necessary, 
must  be  taken  into  view,  in  making  commensu» 
rate  provisions  for  the  ensuing  year.  And  I  re- 
commend to  your  consideration,  the  propriety  of 
ensuring  a  sufficiency  of  annual  revenue,  at  least 
to  defray  the  ordinary  expenses  of  government, 
and  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  public  debt,  includ- 
ing that  on  new  loans  which  may  be  authorized. 

I  cannot  close  this  communication,  without  ex- 
pressing my  deep  sense  of  the  crisis  in  which  you 
are  asscml)led,  mv  confidence  in  a  wise  and  honor- 
able  result  to  your  deliberations,  and  assurances 
ol  the  faithful  zeal  with  which  my  co-operat- 
ing duties  will  be  discharged;  invoking,  at  the 
same  time,  the  blessing  of  Heaven  on  our  be- 
loved country,  and  on  all  the  means  that  may 
be  employed,  in  vindicating  its  rights  and  ad- 
vancing its  welfare. 

JAMES  MADISON. 

JVashUigtoti,  November  5,  1811. 


